Roasted Lemon-Chili Broccoli

This fast and easy roasted lemon-chili broccoli makes a delicious side dish. There isn’t anything boring about this recipe!

A bowl of roasted lemon-chili broccoli

Roasted Lemon-Chili Broccoli

This roasted broccoli is perfect for an easy dinner. The lemon juice adds a nice bright flavor to this recipe while the chili and garlic give it depth and intensity. If you’re bored with the same old steamed vegetables for dinner, change things up with this zesty roasted lemon-chili broccoli.

Roasted broccoli has more flavor

Not only does roasting the broccoli make this an incredibly easy recipe but the roasting process enhances the flavor. Roasting the broccoli will caramelize the natural sugars in the vegetable and sweeten the vegetable.

Don’t be put off by the idea of sweet broccoli, it isn’t actually sweet like sugar or honey. However, there is a noticeable difference when a vegetable is roasted and allowed to caramelize a bit.

roasted lemon-chili broccoli

What is Sambal Oelek

We used Sambal Oelek in this recipe. Sambal Oelek is basically freshly ground red chilies with a little seasoning. It sounds too simple but there is nothing simple about this chili paste. There is a special kind of magic in those little red chilis. They don’t just pack heat and spice but they have a great flavor.

Sambal Oelek has infinite uses and is a great condiment to keep stocked in the fridge. Even though it is found in the Asian section, it doesn’t have to be exclusively relegated to Asian dishes. You can add it to soups, pasta, sandwich spreads or sauces. If you don’t have Sambal Oelek or can’t find it at your local grocery store, you can substitute Sriracha.

Choosing and prepping the broccoli

While frozen produce is convenient, nothing beats fresh vegetables. This recipe screams for fresh broccoli. Choose nice bright green bundles and make sure they are not limp. Make sure the florets are not turning yellow or brown and check the ends of the stalks to make sure they aren’t dry or cracked.

Slice the broccoli into long spears. Try to cut the broccoli spears into equal sizes so they cook evenly. Slightly thinner wedges will give you more even cooking and more caramelization.

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